Achickwitbeatz presents ⁠the Instrumental Intel podcast⁠, bringing you information instrumental to your artistic career including music industry news & tips, insights & interviews, and beats for your inspiration. Listen on Saturdays at 7 pm EST on ⁠⁠⁠Grander Radio⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Achickwitbeatz.com⁠⁠⁠.
Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube Audiomack & SoundCloud, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. Download the Grander Media app to listen to Grander Radio on the go.

Instrumental Intel Podcast

Achickwitbeatz brings you information instrumental to your artistic career including music industry news, insights, interviews, and beats for your inspiration. Listen on Saturdays at 7 pm ET on ⁠⁠⁠Grander Radio,⁠⁠⁠ Achickwitbeatz.com⁠⁠⁠, and your favorite podcast platform.

00:00
Hey, thank you so much for tuning in to Instrumental Intel. I am your host, music producer, Achickwitbeatz, and I'm thrilled that you're here with me today. I got an episode that's got music industry news. Of course, Instrumentals by Me for your inspiration. And later, my special guest, Dykieria Stevens, will be joining me. We're gonna talk about navigating risk and growth in music and business and a whole lot more. So yeah, I'm glad to be bringing this episode to you. Before I drop that first beat, I gotta give a shout out to my home station.

00:29
Grander Radio out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. And with that, let's go.

[BEAT BREAK]

11:30
Hey, I'm back with the music biz brief. First up, Triller is facing another lawsuit over unpaid music licensing fees, this time from indie licensing group Merlin. Triller allegedly violated a 2020 agreement that required it to match higher licensing fees offered to other companies. Merlin says it discovered Triller had given Sony Music a better deal and is now owed $2.55 million. Additionally, Merlin accuses Triller of failing to honor a stock warrant agreement following its merger with AGBA.

11:59
This is just the latest in a series of financial disputes for Triller, which previously faced lawsuits from Sony, Universal, a hedge fund, and Timbaland and Swizz Beatz for Verzuz, all over unpaid debts. Next, WeVerse has introduced a new listening party feature, allowing users to listen to music together on the platform. There are two types: official parties hosted by artists or official accounts, and fan parties hosted by users with paid digital membership.

12:26
The music is sourced from streaming services, with Spotify currently mentioned. This update arrives as Kakao launches Berries, a competing superfans platform, while online listening parties gain traction as a marketing tool across various platforms. So, SM Entertainment is expanding its superfan platform strategy by increasing its stake in DearU, the company behind the Bubble app, which offers messaging and live streams with K-pop artists.

12:52
SM acquired an additional 11.42% stake for 92.6 million, bringing its total ownership to 45.1% and valuing DearU at around $811 million. The company plans to take Bubble Global, targeting markets like Japan, China, and the U.S. while expanding beyond K-pop to include actors and sports stars. So,

13:15
Patreon's State of Create report highlights how algorithm-driven platforms make it harder for creators to reach their audience, with 53% of surveyed saying it's more difficult than five years ago. Additionally, 78% said the algorithm affects their creative output, while 56% feel it limits their ability to explore their passions. The music industry is facing similar challenges, leading major labels to embrace superfandom through initiatives like Universal Streaming 2.0,

13:42
and platforms such as Weverse and Berries, while indie artists have long relied on Patreon and Bandcamp for direct fan support. If major music companies fully commit to these strategies, smaller artists could gain more control over their careers in a less algorithm-dependent ecosystem. Also, Kunlin Tech has unveiled Myrika 01, its latest AI music model, claiming it outperforms competitors like Suno V4 in mixing quality, vocal textures, and instrumentation.

14:11
The new Mureka V6 and 01 models support multiple genres and offer emotional expressions. Notably, users can upload reference audio and even train the AI to mimic their own voices. Mureka also features a marketplace for selling AI-generated music and offers open API access for developers. This is coming at a time when AI music tools are under legal scrutiny, with major labels taking companies like Suno to court over copyright issues. So, pro or con, make sure that you add them to your watch list.

14:41
Next, Chance the Rapper's ongoing legal battle with former manager Pat Corcoran is headed to trial after an Illinois judge denied Chance's request for a summary judgment. Corcoran, who managed Chance from 2012 to 2020, claims he's owed millions in unpaid commissions under a verbal agreement, including a cut of profits for three years post-termination. Chance argues that the alleged agreement violates contract law, requiring long-term deals to be in writing. The court, however, ruled that

15:09
Corcoran's claims could proceed, citing an exception when one party has fully performed their obligations. With the case moving forward, it highlights the risk of operating without written contracts and artist-manager relationships. So, word to the wise. Also, Latin music revenues in the US grew by 6% in 2024, holding steady at $1.4 billion for the second year in a row. While growth has slowed compared to previous years,

15:36
Latin music still outpaced the overall market for the ninth consecutive year, increasing its share to 8.1%. Streaming accounted for 98% of revenue, with paid subscriptions driving the most growth at $967 million. Ad-supported streaming contributed nearly a quarter of all Latin music revenue, double the share it holds in the overall recorded music market. Physical format saw a 35% increase from 2022 but remained only 1% of Latin music's revenue.

16:06
Next, for whatever it's worth, a new executive order calls for stricter enforcement of ticket scalping regulations in the US, with a focus on better enforcing the BOTS Act. While Live Nation supports the crackdown on scalpers, the order also directs officials to ensure competition laws are upheld in the concert and ticketing industry, potentially increasing scrutiny on Live Nation and Ticketmaster.

16:30
The National Independent Venue Association welcomed the order, citing its potential to address both excessive resale pricing and Live Nation's market dominance. Additionally, the order reinforces existing price transparency rules requiring ticketing platforms to disclose all fees upfront. Anywho, Media Research's new report estimates that global music streaming subscribers reached $808.3 million by the end of 2024, up 11.6% year-over-year.

17:01
78.4% of new subscribers came from outside North America and Europe, just showing the growing influence of emerging markets. While Spotify maintained its lead with 32.2% market share, YouTube ranked only fifth at 10.1 %, as media excludes YouTube premium subscribers who don't use its music service. The report's figures differ significantly from IFPI's recent estimate of 752 million subscribers.

17:28
reflecting ongoing debates over industry data methodologies. Still good information to have. BMG reported a record 963 million euros, which is about a billion dollars, in revenue for 2024, up 6.4% year over year, driven by strong digital growth and major releases. Digital revenue rose 16%, now making up 68% of the company's total income.

17:54
Operating profits surged 37% to $274 million. Key moves include shifting digital distribution in-house, direct licensing deals with Spotify and Apple Music, and investing $520 million in catalog acquisitions and signings. The company saw success with artists like Kylie Minogue and Lainey Wilson, while its publishing arm contributed with hits from Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, and Bruno Mars.

18:20
Pophouse Entertainment, co-founded by Abbas Björn-Juvels, hope my pronunciation's close there, has raised over 1.2 billion euros, which is about 1.3 billion dollars, for its debut music investment fund. The Stockholm-based firm plans to acquire music catalogs and intellectual property, with 30% of the fund already invested in partnerships with KISS, Cyndi Lauper, Avicii, and Swedish House Mafia. Pophouse takes an art-centric approach,

18:49
focusing on publishing, recording, and name, image, and likeness rights. The company is known for its immersive experiences like ABBA Voyage and the Avicii Experience, aiming to reshape the entertainment industry through active music IP investments. Next, Get Real Security, a cybersecurity firm specializing in detecting AI deepfakes, has raised $17.5 million in a Series A funding. The round was led by ForgePoint Capital with participation from Cisco Investments,

19:18
Capital One Ventures, and others. GitReel's technology helps organizations combat AI-driven threats, including impersonation attacks, and is used by corporations, financial institutions, media, and government agencies. This funding comes well-timed amid growing concerns in the music industry about AI misuse, including unauthorized voice cloning. The company plans to expand its research, product development, and market research to address these evolving risks.

19:45
Also, Soundcloud's first Music Intelligence report highlights emerging trends on its platform, reinforcing its role in breaking new artists and scenes. The report notes the rise of plug, plug-in-B, and rage in the US, while UK rap remains strong in its home market. Predicted breakout genres include UK garage, alt-country, and minimal tech house, alongside emerging trends like transatlantic rap and a darker evolution of trap. A key stat?

20:13
46.5% of SoundCloud's listening is to tracks released in the last 18 months, nearly double the industry average of 26.7%. And finally, music marketing startup Intuit has officially launched its Chrome browser extension, delivering personalized music ads on sites like The Guardian and The Independent. Users select their favorite genres and artists, and the extension tailors ads accordingly. Launch advertisers include Rough Trade, Cooking Vinyl, and Domino.

20:42
Additional sites like Digital Spy and Radio Times may also be testing the feature. The tool aims to offer music companies a more direct and welcomed way to connect with engaged fans. Alright, and that's a wrap for the music biz brief. I'm gonna take a quick pause for the cause, and then I'll be back with my special guest, Dicurious Stevens, right after this. Keep it locked.

[BEAT BREAK]

27:14
Hey, thank you so much for tuning in to Instrumental Intel. I am your host, music producer, Achickwitbeatz. And I have in the virtual building with me today, Dy. I mean, she's a dynamic manager. She's got so many different things going on. I don't even want to kind of spill it a little bit for the people. I'm gonna let you tell them, you know, who you are, what it is that you do. Know people who've listened to the show are familiar with your husband. So yeah, if you could give a little background as to who you are.

27:44
some of the work that you've done with him and what you're moving into now. Yeah, well, thank you, first off, for having me today. It is an absolute honor to be able to just be here speaking with you today. But that's such a heavy question or a heavy segue to introduce who I am with all of the transitions that's happening. I always like to introduce myself first off.

28:13
a child of God. So, Dikeria is what I go by. But in terms of what I do, I am currently a music manager. I've been managing my husband, aka Ashton Stevens, formerly known as Ashton Martin, for about over seven years at this point. I also am in the healthcare industry. And so most recently,

28:40
There's been just some fun transitions into starting our long-term goal insurance agency. And so I also do that. And I like to brand myself as a chief strategist because that's what I do in every single one of these titles and enjoy doing. So that's just who I am, right? Manager, child of God, wife.

29:04
mom most recently. And again, very grateful to be here with you today. Yeah, I'm so glad to have you here. Starting with, I guess, kind of how you got into managing. Do you remember what that transition was like? Yes, very vividly, actually. So there's a funny story that I like to tell now. Ashton Mays

29:30
tell it a bit differently here, but this is the true story. But it was funny. When, so after I saw Ashton and I met in high school and I was actually 15 when we met, we started dating when I turned 16. And so, you know, he's always been very heavy on the music. I remember asking,

29:59
like, hey, Ash, because I was always just this motivated child. Always knew exactly what I wanted to do. And I would ask him, like, what are you planning on doing after college? Like, what's your goals? And he's like, I'm going to do music. And I'm like, well, no, that's not realistic. Like, what are you wanting to do? And that was always his, he always answered, replied, music. That's what I want to do. I mean, maybe I can go into business, but it's music.

30:27
And so, so you know, I never really thought about management, honestly. It wasn't, you know, something that I guess I or I guess that's just not where I work where I was at that moment. And so as we progressed, you know, he was doing the music, of course, I was helping and I was sort of organizing things just, you know, being that support as girlfriends and of course, moved into that support as his wife. And so we

30:56
um, what we had finished college and we were in those discussions around, okay, where do we want to go? Because currently we were staying in Pensacola. And so we both woke up, because we were in between like three locations and we woke up one morning and um, Ashton said, do you know where you're supposed to go? And I said, yep, I had a dream about it. And it was Atlanta. So we both knew that's where we were to go. So we traveled here.

31:25
And we started attending this Open Mic at the time of the Guild Gallery. Shout out to Al. And it was just a weekly hub is what I like to refer to it as where different all types of creatives. It's Open Mic, yes, a lot of music artists, but you, you know, we had the opportunity to meet artists, painters, you know, so many different types of creators.

31:54
creatives, creators. And so one day we were headed back to the house and I was doing the management work and I really started to feel and get into it. I enjoyed it. And so I said, know, Ash, I said, I think I want to manage. I'm really interested in music managing, but I said, it appears that you don't want me to be your manager. haven't asked. He was like, oh, well, if you want to be my manager, then of course.

32:23
my manager, it was just like a petty, you know, way, but I was way, I guess it was, I was waiting for it, but it was also, it wasn't anything with him. It was just me, right? It was a new, a new area for me. And so that's sort of how it came about. And I started to join all of these networking events. And so I always say I am self-taught, but it's been the most amazing experience just to, you know, be able to

32:53
truly play or not even play, right? Because I always say there's a difference between me as Ashton's wife and then me as his manager. And I always say, we, of course, there's overlaps, but we keep business business. And I've been able to also go on to manage other artists as well. So, managing independent artists is extremely rewarding. But as

33:23
one may know you do play several hats. So that's how I sort of got into this thing. And it's just been an amazing experience, just truly touring. We've had so many different, you know, achievements, accomplishments, projects, and I absolutely enjoyed, think if there's any part of my professional career that has been the height and just.

33:51
you know, the majority of development, it absolutely comes from, you know, that role as music manager. So that's sort of how that came about. Well, that's pretty awesome. Yeah, I remember on the last time that he was here, he mentioned that you had taught him about networking and, you know, how good you were at it. And I think that that's such an important skill for artists to have, especially those that don't have a manager.

34:19
because it's wild some of the ways that people will approach me and like other people who have shows and stuff. Like we've had these conversations, like sometimes people don't really know how to kind of get their foot in the door. So they just kind of kick it in and say, whoa, well, who are you? Why am I supposed to have you on here? You know, but yeah, that is one of the things that I remember about you early on. Like you knew how to handle business. And so with that in mind.

34:48
What advice do you have for artists who might not have a manager, but maybe kind of looking for one and like the best way to try to approach people like in the meanwhile? You know, one thing I always would tell Ashton, and this is a really great question here. Earlier on, this was when, you know, I wasn't, I guess we didn't have the title of I'm His Manager. I used to gripe so much about presentation.

35:17
presentation is everything. And I would bring this up because Ashley has always been very motivated about his music. There was times where he would have these CDs, he would write on it, and he was giving it out to everyone who comes, it didn't matter, right? At work, everywhere, he was just getting out. And I would say, okay, great idea, love the hustle, but let's have a better presentation, right? This was, again, this was like 2000 and-

35:46
14, 15, when he was out in the streets and we were out in the streets. And so when I'm asked, like, okay, I would like a manager, how do I do this? The reality is that I would even say probably over 80 % of independent artists, they already have a manager. And what I often say, because, you know, even if you're, you know, big name celebrity, whatever it is, typically you have these different types of managers, but

36:15
that manager, right, who's truly managing all operations. It's usually someone who you have a very good relationship with, a personal relationship with, right? You spend the majority of your time with this individual. And so I always say the first way to identify is take a look around you, right? And do you have someone? Because most times, eight times out of 10,

36:43
There's someone there who supports you, who believes in your dream, because that's really what's important there. Someone who you don't have to be know it all, because I absolutely did not, and I still do not know it all, but having someone who can represent you. Something so simple as, we're going to this show, and this is someone who believes in what I'm doing. They see the vision, they understand, they value.

37:13
what I'm doing, just having a representative right there. Don't even have to open your mouth. Just, this is my manager. The perspective around that is so different from you going into a performance or a show or whatever you may be doing there. But just having a representative makes all the difference. And so my biggest

37:42
feedback there is just look around you. There is someone who would absolutely love to play that part. Sometimes we don't really, you know, think about that or identify it. But there's someone who trusts you or you trust, right? And that's the person that you want as your manager. And that's just a really good start. And so that's what we did. That's just exactly what we did. We

38:08
Of course, at that time, we didn't see it that way, right? But as we've grown and we started to see, mean, I love my business suits. I love my blazers. Like, that's just my thing. I'm more comfortable in that than anything. And just the simple going into events and hi, I am the manager, right? Ashton Stevens was a huge, I mean, it was major, just the feedback and then even the opportunities, right? Of just having a representative. So.

38:37
That's my biggest advice. Take a look at someone around you because you don't want, and I truly advise against this, just going to the internet and finding someone simply because they have the brand as manager. Like this should be someone that you trust and someone who truly believes in your vision. And that's what I would say... around you. Yeah, that's excellent advice. You know, as a producer, it's not like I necessarily need a quote unquote manager.

39:07
But the same way that you kind of stepped in for him, that's the same thing I do with my husband. Like, while you were saying this, I'm thinking about it. I'm like, oh, well, technically that would be him. Cause I kind of bounced everything off before, you know, yeah, just kind of going forward with it. But yeah, I think that's really great advice to have somebody that you trust. It's just like you said, I mean, the people on the internet, a lot of times they'll try to come find you and they want you to pay for this or pay for that. And they don't even know what your goals are.

39:37
So it's like they're already trying to get your money without even knowing what you're about. Absolutely. Lots of sharks. Yeah. Lots of that, for sure. And that's another thing, right? Having someone, because the reality of it is we often get, how has it been with you guys working together? We work very well together because we respect each other's role.

40:04
And so Ashton is the artist and literally the artist. Ashton can wake up and he can make a song and say, I want to drop this today. And this is where management come in and says, okay, I understand. You really want to get this out, but let's talk about marketing. Let's discuss, right, how we're going to strategize this song. Let's really talk about, you know, who we're trying to target here. And so I say that to say,

40:30
Even when it comes to those in the industry, Ashton, for instance, has been approached several times from record label representatives. Him as an artist, although he is very business acumen, right, that's their very intelligent, but still an artist. This is his passion, this is his baby. And so there has been those who have approached and when it comes to those

40:59
and just what the expectations would be from him, I know that that is not in alignment with what his goals are, but him thinking, okay, I'm an artist. This is what I've been working so hard for, right? The recognition, the acknowledgement. And so just even having someone who's not as, you know, who's not as close, like, of course, with your manager, you have most, right? You have all the best interests.

41:27
for your artist. And so just having someone right who's not so close to it, you're not on the outside looking in, obviously we're there together, but you're not as close to it as the artist is. And so just having someone with that type of mindset to be able to think, you know, in that business mindset and again, making sure that with all of the affairs are in order, that is so vital as well. And so this is why I go back to

41:56
You have someone in your circle right now who you can brand as your manager. Doesn't mean they have to do all of the things that we often see managers do, but just a representative, right, is so vital because things like that, I will say this, I remember we had an executive that had reached out and they were offering some awesome things to Ashton and I said, wow, this is wonderful, I love it. And so I would just remember though,

42:25
whenever there were conversations or discussions, they didn't want to have me a part of those conversations. They only wanted him, you know? Of course, right? He's pumped up. He's excited about this opportunity. I mean, it was some pretty strong offerings there. And I remember sitting down, you know, of course having that conversation with Ashton, but I also reached out to the individual and I said, hey, you know,

42:50
you know, send me the contract, I'm gonna look over this and review it. And I'm not a lawyer or you know, nothing of that, but I do have some extensive research skills. I just remember looking over and I said, this is not adding up, right? And more importantly, I'm someone who believes that just those interactions, like it really speaks volumes. And so, yeah, I mean, just something simple as that, right? No doubt if I was not, not that I'm just, you know, the savior in this because

43:20
You know, I don't believe that at all, but again, I wasn't as close to, or it's not my passion per se, this music, this is Ashton's thing. This is his vision and I want to ensure that he gets there. And so I do believe that played a big part in making the correct decision, right, to do otherwise. And so, yeah, even having someone to be able to, you know, be sort of on the background, but I always see it as.

43:48
We're there to ensure that their goals do come into fruition, but doing it the most appropriately, know, appropriate way possibly. Yeah. I mean, that makes a lot of sense, especially for them to not want you there. That's already kind of like a red flag. Like, why do you want to remove the artist from the support system? Exactly. Unless you want to take advantage.

44:17
And I think that that's part of the reason why, I mean, think about how many biopics we've seen about artists who have gone through this, always thinking like, okay, I'll sign it now. I'll get something better later on. And we just saw with, what was that? The new group, no, new jeans, I think it was, where the judge just blocked their order to try to get out from their labels. Like you can't always negotiate your way out of these tracks. Yeah, I mean, that's an excellent.

44:47
point and especially what you mentioned about, um, you know, not being so close to it. You understand this is passion. You see it, but you know, you got kind of like the bird's eye view, not being up on it. Yeah. Cause ours, do tend to get pretty passionate and a lot of times we want to throw the left brain stuff out when we get really excited. yeah, it's great to have somebody there looking out for you like that. Um, you know, so yeah, those are excellent points that you raised. Um,

45:17
Speaking of which, you had mentioned to ensure that they get what they need. And I feel like that's a perfect segue to talk a little bit about what you're doing now. Because when I spoke with him before, he had mentioned how many artists might not even realize the types of things that they could get insured for to kind of protect their interests as well. Absolutely. Yeah. So with that, insurance, insurance. It's so funny.

45:45
Definitely not an industry that we ever had on our goal long term list at all. But when we actually moved here to Atlanta, so funny thing about it is I went to school for my major was actually an education. And so the goal was we would move here to Atlanta and I knew that

46:13
or at least I'd read that Gwinnett County was one of the best counties. And so we moved there and the goal was I'm going to become a teacher. But I ended up applying for this job that honestly, I just only remember I would do the presentations and I was not someone who enjoyed per se public speaking. But I said, you know what, I want to.

46:40
you know, challenged myself and that's what we're going to do. So got into this industry and lo and behold, it's in the insurance industry. More specifically, this was a focus on Medicare. And so I surprisingly just really enjoyed it, was very good at it, or just at least public speaking, just, you know, have been able to perfect my craft with that. And so that's, I mean, I stumbled into that industry and have been there

47:10
I mean, I guess today still, right? We're still there. Lots of growth. And so throughout that, Ashton, of course, while he wasn't in it, as my husband, of course, he's watching everything and he's a part of it. so anyway, I went into that side and then I went over to the provider side working with doctor offices. So my previous role, I was

47:39
managing there was actually 17 doctor offices here and I was responsible for a team and it was all about growth. So growing those practices and you know at community events and just strategic partnerships all of those wonderful things and honestly the skill set I always say entrepreneurship you are able to truly develop so many different skill sets from so many things because

48:09
As that manager, it almost felt as if, you know, it was my own business, right? I just had ongoing funding. That's the difference. But that's just sort of how I felt and was able to be just extremely successful. Shout out to that team. Amazing. I had a team of seven and they were just absolutely rock stars, but great partnerships, right? Was able to learn quite a bit. So here we are.

48:39
a of months ago actually, I said, you know, there's something more here. And I remember putting on my notes. I have all of these different notes. I mean, sometimes I forget it's there, but one of the goals was starting an insurance agency. And whenever, you know, we had Jeremiah, our son, I guess I just start forgetting about those goals and thinking, okay, I need this.

49:06
consistent paycheck or I need this and we have to have insurance and we have, right? I just started to sort of get into this, you know, this restricted mindset. So something came about opportunities present itself in such an unimaginable way and here we are. So we started this, Ashton and I both started this insurance agency. So while I specialize in Medicare,

49:34
and health insurance, Ashton actually focuses on the property and casualty. And I love it so much because for him, his passion is artists, right? Creatives. he, it's been awesome just to see him in that space. But yes, it's amazing. And it's even within ourselves, we often look back and say, oh my gosh, if we had insurance.

50:02
We, this would have been, you know, it just would have been a different, it just would have been a different experience. And so for us now, you know, with the, with the agency, we do focus on, or that's one portion of it's focusing on music artists and production companies. I mean, honestly, any industry professionals, of course, we can write for anyone, any businesses, but because of that passion, right? And the entertainment, the music industry just,

50:32
because of that passion, tend to focus on those individuals. So yes, being able to have, for instance, event insurance. Many don't know that if you have this event and you have that insurance and let's just say it rains and so you can't have it because it was outside or whatever the case may be, you're able to actually utilize your insurance, right? If you have,

51:02
Ashton's funny because he was just talking about this with getting some of his equipment stolen, having that protection over your equipment, right? No matter how little you may have paid for it or how much, it's vital. so music RAs, like royalties, I mean, there's so many different avenues there. It's absolutely blown my mind that only six months ago that we learned about these particular insurance.

51:31
insurance. like we absolutely didn't know. And so it's all about risk management and asset protection. And so yeah, that's a new space that we have maneuvered in. It has been, when I say it has been an absolute amazing experience. And while we're only a few months into this, my mind is blown on the daily. And so we will have much more to come.

52:00
We are really big on education and so we do plan to have monthly webinars where like-minded professionals can join and just learn about what they're able or just options for them and their businesses, depending on what that looks like. Just being aware what's out there. Knowledge is absolutely power. And so that's what our intentions are. Yeah, it's...

52:24
It's been an amazing experience just learning this for ourselves and just truly understanding the power of insurance. Wow, yeah, that's excellent. You know, anybody that's been kind of following the shows that I've been doing when I do the music industry news, usually in the summer, there are a lot of stories about festivals being canceled or, you know, whatever happened and how much money they owe the promoters and all this other stuff. But like you mentioned, the event insurance.

52:54
can be a huge help in those situations. Even if it's not as large as like some of these festivals, you know, just a show. I mean, there are so many different things that can happen. And if you're on the hook for refunds, what are you gonna do? Exactly. Yeah, that's a very excellent point. You know, as we're nearing the end of this, I definitely want to make sure that people know like how to hit you up for that. But real quick before we head into that portion of it.

53:22
I kind of wanted to double back a little bit to when you were talking about the events and stuff that you would attend and networking and how you're talking about how you guys are going to do webinars and stuff now. Do you have any advice for listeners, artists, creatives of all types that might be checking out the show right now to kind of figure out how to navigate what events they attend, what webinars they sign up for and that sort of thing?

53:51
Yeah, absolutely. Great, great question. There was a time where we thought doing everything was it. Like, no matter what, like we have this mindset, stay busy, stay busy, stay busy. And I don't say that anymore. I've gotten away from, I want to be busy. I don't want to be busy. I want to be productive. And so my number one advice would be this, know where you're headed.

54:21
We have so much, mean, especially here, you know, if you're in the Atlanta area, regardless of where you are, maybe in a metropolitan area, there's always events. There's something going on every single day. There's open mics here and there. There's networking events and, know, sipping paints and there's so much. But truly what it comes down to is what's your goal, right? It's something that whenever

54:49
Ashton has a project and we are sitting down and we're talking about strategizing. Who's your targeted audience? What is the purpose of this project? Because, wow, yes, he enjoys it. He loves it. There is a goal. There's a goal. There's something, whether that is I want to expand my fan base or I'm wanting to get more female listeners or whatever that may look like, right? There's a goal, regardless. And so.

55:18
That's my number one thing is you need to know where you're headed. What is your goal? And I really advise when I, you know, I sit down with artists as well and just, you know, having these consultations and just talking about, you know, organizing and structuring their business because if, regardless, if you're, you know, you're a creative, you are a business, right? And so,

55:46
My thing is, okay, what is it that you're looking to achieve, right? Have your short term, which your short term goal should be anything between three months and 12 months. What is your goal? What is your short term goal? And then you need to have your longer term goals, right? I put them in three categories, right? Short term, three to 12 months. And then you have your year goal. And then you have, this is what I want to achieve in three years, year three.

56:15
this is what I would like to achieve. And as soon as you are very clear about what that looks like, what you're looking to achieve, everything else will fall in place. So if your goal is, you know what, I would like to perfect my craft as a performing artist, wonderful.

56:35
Open mics is what you should be doing, right? Getting in front of those performers, because that's what it's for, right? You're not really going to open mics to expand bandbases. You're going there. You should be going there for at least to be better, to get better at performing or to get better at networking, right? Everything has a purpose. And if you know where you're headed, then you will know exactly where you need to be.

57:02
You know, if you have a business and you're looking to expand it, okay. There's certain type of networking events you want to be at, right? There's certain type of individuals you want to ensure that you're connecting with. So that's my number one thing. That's the one thing I always say, you need to know where you're headed. And if you know where you're headed, then you can, those, it's not even you putting those pieces to the puzzle. It just starts to fall, right? It just starts to come together.

57:30
And then before you know it, you're meeting and you're in those rooms and you're doing those things that's on that list. And don't be like me and forget that you even have that list. But yeah, that's my number one thing. That's my number one recommendation there. That's excellent advice. Thank you so much. I really appreciate all the gems that you've dropped and everything that you've shared and taking time to come out and just...

57:58
shed your wisdom on us. So definitely appreciate that. So as I mentioned before, I want to make sure that everybody knows where they can find and follow you and keep up with what you've got going on and get in touch. So that way that they're taken care of and minimizing their risk. Yeah, absolutely. Oh, I love that. Minimizing their risk. So if you would like to stay in touch with me,

58:26
You can actually follow me on Instagram, TikTok, even Facebook, @DyDoesIt, and that's at D-Y does D-O-E-S it. And so, and actually there's an, it's @_DyDoesIt. Okay. Awesome. Well, yeah, I hope that this is just part one. Like said, I gotta have you back, gotta have him back, you know, gotta do this together.

58:53
Because yeah, y'all just got a wealth of knowledge and experience between you and just love your energy. So yeah, I'm looking forward to it. If you down, come back. Like said, it's just part one. Absolutely. We look forward to it so much in store. And as I stated, it's been a pleasure. Thank you so much for inviting me to do this. You know that I was a bit nervous about it, but I am absolutely grateful, blessed for the opportunity. So thank you so much.

59:23
Absolutely. All right, and that's a wrap for this episode of Instrumental Intel. I've been your host, music producer, Achickwitbeatz. And once again, I'd like to thank you for tuning in. I'd like to thank my special guest, Dykieria Stevens, for coming through and sharing her journey, wisdom, and experience. I'd like to thank my home station, Grander Radio out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. And I've had a blast. I'm looking forward to coming back next week. I got more goodness lined up for you with King Samson.

59:49
We're going to talk a little bit about bringing fresh spins to classic tracks. So it's going to be another great time. So till next time, you know where to find me. Tune in, tell a friend, and I'll see you then. Peace.